Ducks' Bobby Ryan tires of rumors, is eager for deal

By Randy Miller, (Cherry Hill, N.J.) Courier-Post

PITTSBURGH
–
Bobby Ryan spent much of his Friday playing 90 holes of golf in a charity event near his summer home in Victor, Idaho, but that didn't prevent the Cherry Hill native and Anaheim Ducks star to escape the latest round of trade rumors.

By Timothy T. Ludwig, US Presswire

Anaheim Ducks right wing Bobby Ryan thought the trade rumors would stop after he hit the 30-goal mark again.

Anaheim Ducks right wing Bobby Ryan thought the trade rumors would stop after he hit the 30-goal mark again.

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"I've gotten wind of everything," Ryan said by phone between his fourth and fifth rounds.

Through a phone conversation a night earlier with his agent, Don Meehan, plus non-stopping texts from family and friends forwarding the latest, Ryan learned that the Flyers are among four teams involved in trade talks with the Ducks.

Frustrated with Ducks management, the 25-year-old left wing suggested he's up for a trade anywhere and that the Flyers would be his first choice.

"I heard Anaheim was a little overwhelmed with offers and they only took four seriously, but none of the teams were mentioned to me other than Philly," Ryan said. "Everybody wants to play in your hometown, but it would be tough because a lot of expectations come when you're put into a situation like that. For me, if I'm moved, Philadelphia would be a very ideal and comfortable place for me."

Ryan is frustrated because he doesn't feel Ducks management appreciates his 30-plus goals over each of his first four NHL seasons.

He seems to go through this a couple times every year, and usually the trade rumors involve the Flyers. In the past, Ryan usually indicated that he'd rather stay in Anaheim even though he grew up loving his hometown team and his father, Bob, has been a close friend of Flyers great Bob Clarke for years.

No more.

"I take things personally," Ryan said. "Anaheim to me has been a team over the past year that really has shown me nothing to prove that they want me here, unfortunately. Obviously, it's not the ideal situation. When you get drafted, you want to win championships with that team and every time they look to add a piece to the puzzle, I'm the piece going the other way.

"I gotta be honest with you. At this point, I don't care. Move me … because it's just tough going to the rink every day knowing that if something goes wrong, you're going to be the guy moved."

Ryan is frustrated because he thought his name being in trade rumors had ended after he recovered from a slow start to his 2011-12 season.

While in an early season scoring slump and clashing with his head coach, he was being shopped last November, but Bruce Boudreau replacing Randy Carlyle behind the Ducks bench was a Godsend. After amassing just seven goals and 12 points over his first 24 games under Carlyle, Ryan tallied 24 goals and 45 points over his last 58 games playing for Boudreau.

"Bruce essentially changed my whole season around in Anaheim," Ryan said. "It was going downhill very fast. He came in and changed things around and really spoke to me on a level that I could understand. I loved playing for him.

"I thought going into the summer, with the second half that I had, some of the rumors would be put to rest. I don't know what it is or what I have to do to put them away."

Ryan concedes he'd love playing on a line with Flyers star center Claude Giroux, who finished third in the league in scoring last season with 93 points and added 17 points in 10 postseason games.

"He's an incredible, one-of-a-kind player," Ryan said. "I'm very fortunate where I am with (Anaheim linemates) Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry when we're together, but Claude Giroux has done things to elevate his team to a new level. If I were to come to Philly, I would love to be alongside him."

Bob Ryan, who still lives in Cherry Hill, definitely is hoping his son comes home, but he'd be fine with any change for the better.

"In my mind, the Flyers are the best that there is," Bob Ryan said. "But I just want to see him happy. The only place he can't go is the Rangers. I'd never hear the end of it from Clarkie."

Bobby Ryan, who has a home near Anaheim as well as Idaho, doesn't get back to South Jersey much anymore but was home for five days just a few weeks ago after playing for Team USA in the world championships in Finland.

The purpose of this visit, besides catching up with his parents, was to introduce his long-time girlfriend to some friends and family. Bobby and Danielle, a Southern California native, have been together for four years and marriage "is probably on the horizon, for sure," he said.

While in town, Bobby gave Danielle a flavor of the area by treating her to a cheesesteak, water ice and Cherry Hill's Famous and Original King of Pizza, which he calls "a life-changing experience."

Realizing he could be in the area a lot more if the Flyers work out a deal, Ryan added: "We're going to settle right in at Cherry Hill if that's the case. I'd be happy food-wise … but I'd be happy anywhere in any lineup as long as the rumors go away."

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